Johnny Manziel put on a dazzling passing display during his pro day on March 27.
The Browns, with quarterback a pressing need but not wanting to be influenced by a scripted performance, were conspicuous by their absence.
The former Texas A&M quarterback broke tradition by wearing full pads and a helmet while showing dozens of NFL scouts from 30 NFL teams he could throw dropping straight back in the pocket as well as throw on the run.
The Browns and Bears are the only teams that sent no one to College Station, Texas, according to NFL Media’s Albert Breer.
For what it’s worth, earlier in the day, wide receiver Josh Gordon said he is “pretty sure” the Browns have already made up their mind to use the fourth pick in the draft May 8 on a quarterback. He just hasn’t been told which one.
“There’s no telling,” Gordon said on ESPN SportsCenter. “I talked with Ray (Farmer, the team’s general manager). I talked with (owner) Jimmy (Haslam). The choice is really up in the air right now. I’m pretty sure it’s a quarterback, and I just really can’t say which one. I’m not real sure.
“There’s plenty of guys on the list right now. Blake Bortles is definitely one of those guys that just may do it for us. Teddy Bridgewater is a great talent. But there’s no telling.”
Manziel threw 64 passes at his pro day. Only three passes were incomplete. He threw short and intermediate routes, showed he can throw from a three-step, five-step or seven-step drop and concluding the afternoon with a 60-yard rainbow to former teammate Mike Evans, who might be picked before Manziel.
There was no pass rush to contend with, although his quarterback coach, George Whitfield, waved a broom in front of Manziel’s face to mimic a defender.
At times Manziel, 5-foot-11 3/4, slid to the right and at times to the left before passing — similar to the way Saints quarterback Drew Brees, 6-foot tall, finds passing lanes throwing against defenders five and sometimes six inches taller.
“My main thing was, I am not scared of anything,” Manziel told NFL Network after his workout. “I don’t play that way on the field. Why come out here in a scripted workout and be scared of anything?
“I can make any throw out here on this field and hopefully compete with anybody. I’m an extremely coachable kid and I’m ready to learn. I just want these guys to know my focus is football. This is my life. This is what I love to do. I’ve never been more committed, more dedicated in my entire life.”
The head coaches of eight NFL teams were at the A&M indoor facility, including Bill O’Brien of the Houston Texans, who own the first pick, and Gus Bradley of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who pick third.
Farmer skipped the workout. So did head coach Mike Pettine, offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains. The coaches also skipped the pro days of Bridgewater and Bortles. However, the Browns have scheduled a private workout with each of the top quarterbacks.
“A pro day of orchestrated throws, I don’t know what that tells you,” Farmer told reporters at the league meetings in Orlando, Fla., on March 24. “It’s a piece of it that people blow up into this great thing. I went to a lot of games and practices this fall. I’ve seen them throw the ball.”
Draft analyst Mike Mayock and former Super Bowl MVP quarterback Kurt Warner while on the NFL Network set praised Manziel’s competitive nature and his touch on deep balls during his pro day workout, but both question whether Manziel can hang in the pocket in the teeth of a pass rush.
“If you draft him in the top 10, he’s a unique talent,” Mayock said. “If he doesn’t learn to win from inside the pocket, he’s not going to be a big success in the NFL.
“However, if he’s willing to hang in there, go through his throws, and then it breaks down and he breaks out, that’s fine. But he’s going to get broken in half if he thinks he’s going to run the ball 20 times a game.”
Manziel has been compared to Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks and Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers, but Warner pointed out each of those quarterbacks play for teams with strong running games (Marshawn Lynch with the Seahawks and Frank Gore with the 49ers) and dominant defenses.
Warner also cautioned against being enamored with the deep throws and throws out of the pocket Manziel made in the pro day workout.
“That’s such a small, minute part of what you get in the National Football League,” Warner said. “You maybe throw three deep balls a game. You maybe get one or two of those big plays out of the pocket.
“I don’t think all the questions can be answered. He was impressive with what he did. He showed us he can make all the throws. But that question is going to be can he be that guy in the pocket you need him to be or do we have time to be able to grow him? Because he’s only played a few games when you look at the big picture.”
Manziel is turning pro after playing two seasons and a total of 25 college games. He completed 565 of 825 passes for 7,438 yards and 59 touchdown passes. He threw 22 interceptions.